Staffordshire University WISE Conference Guide

A preliminary investigation of the motivations for participation, held by
female performance soccer players

Mulvenna, C., and Leslie-Walker, A.
University of Bolton

Background: Women’s soccer in England has provided increasing opportunities for players to become professional
since the inception of the Women’s Super League (WSL) in 2011. Several players are at the fringe of embarking upon
professionalisation, however does the WSL offer intrinsic motivation to promote a professional soccer player career or
are there alternative reasons for participation? Furthermore, does the coach behaviour meet the players’ motivation
for participation?
Aims: To identify the motivations for participation held by female performance soccer players participating in formal
coaching sessions. To ascertain the methods that coaches use to meet the motivations of their players for attending
coaching sessions.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 12 female soccer players, participating in Step 3 of the
Women’s Pyramid of Football. The coach of the players was also interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and
coded using critical thematic analysis and latent themes were identified.
Results: The players interviewed for this study identified three key reasons for participating in soccer.

• The social interaction and the feeling of belonging to a team or organisation, that values their input.
• The desire to learn and develop as a soccer player both technically and tactically.
• The reward of feeling like they have worked hard physically.
Conclusion: Female performance soccer players participate in soccer primarily for the sense of belonging and
community offered by being a part of a soccer club. It is apparent that a clear structured method is not utilised by
the soccer coach to create this sense of community and belonging; however, to increase the development of these
motivations, the formation of a model may be useful for the future promotion of a professional soccer career for
females.

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‘If they’re caked in make-up I just laugh’: Girls’ and women’s football
and the apologetic turn

Pielichaty, H.
University of Lincoln

Football has long been woven into Britain’s cultural tapestry as a ‘men’s sport’ and women have been fighting for
over a century to have their sport recognised on an equal basis. This study explores what football means to the girls
and women who play with a particular emphasis on body, beauty and image. A critical feminist approach was used to
enable participants’ voices to be heard above the ‘noise’ of stereotypes about the suitability and appropriateness of
women and girls to football. During the 2013/14 football season, ethnographic research was conducted at a Centre
of Excellence and in a secondary school. Conversations and focus groups with players and family members took
place in conjunction with fieldwork observations. Conversational interviews were also conducted with family members
in their homes. Over 120 informants took part in the research. Models were adopted from socio-psychology to
unearth how identities were negotiated within and outside of football spaces. The findings demonstrated that players
were unapologetic about their participation and enjoyment of football and in a departure from previous research,
were critical of overt displays of femininity for fear it would jeopardise the credibility of the women’s game. This was
termed the Apologetic Turn. Emphasised feminine displays were associated with weaker footballing ability and were
heavily scrutinised and denounced by other players. This study has implications for policy and strategy with regards
to the ‘packaging’ of new football initiatives and raises concerns about the seriousness of the sport being diluted
amidst a rhetoric of participation and inclusivity.

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Teammate influences on the eating attitudes and behaviours of female
athletes

Scott, C. L., Haycraft, E., and Plateau, C. R.
School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University

Background: Prevalence rates for disordered eating and compulsive exercise behaviours are higher for female
athletes compared to non-athletes. As athletes spend much of their time with teammates, investigating the potential
role that teammates may have on these unhealthy behaviours is vital.
Aim: To comprehensively assess the relationships between numerous teammate influences (e.g., perceived pressure,
teammate relationship quality, team norms) with disordered eating and compulsive exercise behaviours in female
athletes from a range of sports, competitive levels and ages.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was completed by 727 female athletes (mean age 24.6 years) from both lean
(n=467) and non-lean (n=260) sports. Participants answered questions relating to their teammate relationships and
eating habits, and their own eating attitudes and behaviours, and attitudes towards exercise. Differences between
lean and non-lean sport female athletes were explored via Mann-Whitney U analyses. Correlations and hierarchical
regressions were conducted to establish the nature of any associations between measures of teammate influence
with disordered eating and compulsive exercise behaviours.
Results: There were no significant differences between lean and non-lean athletes for the disordered eating,
compulsive exercise and teammate influence variables. Numerous teammate influences were significantly correlated
with disordered eating and compulsive exercise behaviours, and regressions, to identify the best predictors, and
revealed that supportive teammate relationships significantly predicted lower levels of disordered eating and
weight control behaviours. However, perceived pressure from teammates to lose weight/change shape, as well as
perceptions that teammates engage in disordered eating, significantly predicted the athletes’ own disordered eating
and compulsive exercise behaviours.
Conclusion: Teammate influences may positively and negatively impact female athlete eating and weight control
behaviours. Further research is required to establish the circumstances under which teammates can be most
influential, to inform the future development of holistic team-based interventions to prevent disordered eating in
sport.

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The representation of weight, bodies and health in Sport England’s This
Girl Can – a multimethod case study

Sweetman, M., and Flint, S. W.
School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University

Normative discourses in the UK regarding weight suggest that fat bodies are unhealthy, undesirable and the product
of immoral, poor lifestyle choices. Despite calls for a Health at Every Size approach, physical activity interventions
often contain material that explicitly or implicitly (re)produce this discourse. Experiences of weight stigma are
associated with reduced wellbeing and physical activity participation. Sport England’s This Girl Can (TGC) campaign
is reported to have encouraged 2.8 million women to engage in more physical activity, narrowing the “gender
gap.” The campaign’s success is often attributed to its inclusive nature, which purportedly encourages women of all
shapes and sizes, ability levels and backgrounds. This study used a multimodal discourse analysis of TGC campaign
material to explore the representation of weight, bodies and health. Two key discourses emerged: “Love Yourself”
and “Sisterhood.” These offer more inclusive and diverse understandings of healthy bodies and physical activity
motivations than traditional focuses on weight loss. However, a third, subtler and pernicious discourse, “Thin is
still best” was also evident. This discourse reinforced normative understanding of weight loss as a primary goal
of physical activity. Data collection from participant observation, interviews, focus groups and surveys is ongoing
to understand women’s lived experiences of TGC activities. Once complete, discourses within the ethnographic
data will be compared to those already identified in the campaign material above to explore how TGC participants
understand weight and to identify if activities are truly available to all.

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ABSTRACTS FOR LIGHTNING TALKS
Thursday 14 June 2018. Room R002
4:35-5:00 pm

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The physical activity experiences of female international students at a
university in London, UK

Collins, A., and Chinouya, M.
University of Liverpool, London, UK

Background and Aims: The Chief Medical Officers from the four home countries recommend that adults do 150
minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Female international students (FIS)s are less likely to be
active than male international students. Evidence shows a high prevalence of overweight and obesity within the
student population, which could be tackled with increased physical activity. This study aimed to explore the barriers
to physical activity experienced by FISs.
Methods: A qualitative research methodology was used. Participants were postgraduate FISs at a university in
London, and were recruited via purposive and snowballing techniques. Data were gathered from 11 semi-structured
interviews. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed using a denaturalised method. Thematic framework
analysis was used to organise and interpret the data. Themes explored included being a FIS and experience taking
part in physical activity, and how the university could motivate postgraduate FISs to take part in physical activity.
Ethics approval was obtained.
Results: Most of the students were not aware of the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendations. They experienced
barriers to being physically active including language, feeling isolated, the high cost of participation, and lacking in
confidence to engage in physical activity in London. Others did not wish to be muscular like men. Images of beauty
depicted in the media, participants’ religious backgrounds, and living in London all interacted to make it difficult for
them to engage in physical activity.
Conclusion: To improve the learning experiences of FISs, universities should make physical activity an easier choice
by providing options that take account of students’ diversity and gendered experiences of living and studying in
London. This study adds knowledge to a largely under-researched population in terms of their physical activity
experiences. A limitation is sampling, so the findings are unlikely to be generalisable to the wider FIS population.

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B.E.A.T body politics. Body Equality in Athletic Therapies: A
student-staff collaboration

Pinto, P., Mateju, T., Price, A., and Omozogie, P.
University of East London

Background: The BEAT group began in the University of East London in 2017, led by several students and
co-created with their BSc Sports Therapy programme leader, in an effort to raise awareness of attitudes, behaviours
and practices that, if addressed, would facilitate more equitable therapeutic practice in their teaching, learning and
assessment. Since then, the group has grown and applied a critical theory lens to gender and intersectional equality
issues in sports, healthcare and Higher Education.
Aims: To create an opportunity for student voice into the curriculum, for staff/students to engage, understand
different experiences/points of view, for personal and professional development. To enhance the teaching and
learning culture to improve student experience, engagement and sense of belonging, via bodily, gendered,
and intersectionally equitable inclusivity. To improve the ‘cultural competency’ of teaching staff and professional
graduates and in doing so improve social justice activism, and employability via transferable skills.
Method: Research-informed BEAT group discussions occur every six weeks, planned and chaired by students on
topics such as masculinity, diet and eating disorders, structural racism (with special guest Kondwani Fidel). Students
and staff promote through university channels and social media. Students plan the subject material to cover, through
presentations and guiding debates where staff and students attend.
Results: The BEAT group has grown since its inception, with an average of 8-10 attendees at each meeting in the first
year. The involvement and willingness of students and lecturer to contribute is an indication that the group has had
an impact in discussing topics in an open forum, engagement on social media, developing their own identities and
informing their opinions through research. Staff have commented that it has impacted on their cultural-competency
in curriculum design and teaching practice.
Conclusion: We believe that better levels of cultural-competency in students, lecturers and graduates are required
to reduce implicit and explicit prejudices, and behaviours that contribute to social inequalities, in academia, industry
(particularly in STEM, healthcare, and sport) and wider society. BEAT provides a template of student-led, co-created,
emancipatory learning that helps develop the critical thinking skills and activism required to uncover, deconstruct,
resist, and destabilise hegemonic kyriarchial power inequalities.

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Women into sport coaching leadership positions using complexity
theory and the principals of leverage to generate change

Piekarz, M.
Coventry University, Coventry, UK

This work was based on a piece of work commissioned by UK Coaching. It was primarily focused on doing a
comparative study between a variety of non-sport sectors, in order for UK Coaching to try and learn from experiences
and best practice in other industry sectors.
The work involved reviewing literature and data from both sport and non-sport working sectors. This was done for
comparison and benchmarking, paying attention to identifying the barriers to progression and the various strategies
which can be adopted to enable women to progress more easily to leadership positions. The work was further
complemented by conducting primary, qualitative interviews of women who have gained senior leadership positions
in a variety of non-sport working sectors. Whilst these interviews can in no way be claimed to be representative, what
they did offer were insights and the emotional charge to underpin some of the data, often offering provocative and
revealing incidents that give ‘colour’ and clarity to the broad data analysed. Finally, additional data were gained from
a number of sport practitioners who attended a dissemination workshop event, where the preliminary findings of this
work were presented, discussed and contextualised to their own working sectors.
Based on the meta review of both sport and non-sport related literature on women and leadership, complemented
by the primary interviews, stakeholder workshop and literature review, a framework of analysis was developed
which uses complexity/systems theory, the concept of leverage and stakeholder analysis. Crucially, it is stressed that
change can come from many incremental adjustments in practice, by different stakeholders, which may need minimal
resources, but which all add up to create more fundamental change. Furthermore, sports capacity for generating
emotional engagement and focused moments of interest means it has a powerful resource to create an emotional
charge, which, if correctly levered (a critical concept), can act as a key driving force in motivating people to bring
about change.

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The phallocentrism hidden in the school environment: differences
between lesbian gay students and the form of treatment with their
class colleagues

Giardin, A. R., and Chitolina, M. R.
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil

Even in modern times, feminism shows its face in every corner of the world, such as in the search for equality
between men and women that has existed for more than 60 years, and in a world where there are a lot more than
two genders. Sex is not only biological; we are faced with sexist situations and phallocentrism exists in our schools,
among our students. Our research was carried out in eight different schools of the city of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
The sample consisted of 503 students of average age between 13 and 21 years. Of the 503 students, 107 identified
themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). The remainder were identified as heterosexual or none.
We analysed all the questionnaires, comparing and relating the responses between LGBTs and non-LGBTs. The
questionnaire had questions about the physical education classes at school, about the difficulties and discomforts,
the same on the acceptance or not of their body, and the relationship with colleagues. For the purpose of this article,
we use the following question: “Do you feel bad or uncomfortable in physical education classes?” In the answer to
this question, we realised that some lesbian or bisexual, and heterosexual girls felt uncomfortable and intimidated
at some point in education classes by boys. In the same way as these girls, some gay boys said they liked football
and other activities, but did not participate because they felt displaced and oppressed. The purpose of this research
was not to judge what sports or best practices adapt to each school or each reality; the whole premise is to realise
phallocentrism and sexism hidden in our schools. The opposition between the sexes is not reflective or does not
articulate a biological fact but is a social construct. The revelation that the binary opposition is artificial destabilises
the apparently fixed and rigid identity of feminine and masculine and prevents the development of other possibilities.

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Sportswomen as brand ambassadors:
The prospects, challenges and possibilities.

Mogaji, E.1, and Badejo, A.2
1Department of Marketing, Events and Tourism, University of Greenwich, London, UK;
2Social Marketing, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

The number of women participating in sports has increased over the years. However, the media coverage and
marketing has not reflected such progress. It appeared that the media are not making enough effort in publicising
women sports and, therefore, the general public may not be as aware of women’s sports. As mass media exposure
and coverage of a team or event have a strong influence on public opinions, and commercially, advertisers may not
be able to tap into their brands. This study aims to understand the prospect of sportswomen in becoming a brand
ambassador, raising the question whether they can be considered as a personal brand with possibilities of earning
a significant amount of money from endorsement contracts and the consumers’ attitude towards advertisement
featuring a sportswoman. Semi-structured interview with 15 sportswomen, ten members of the public and five brand
managers was carried out and thematically analysed. The findings revealed that sportswomen are interested in
becoming brand ambassadors but there are limitations they have to face which includes media coverage for their
sports, funding, the general attitude towards female sports which they acknowledge is getting better, having the
look (competing with fashion models) and being in the right sport (team sports/individual sports). The consuming
public were quite positive about the idea, and the Brand Managers noted that sportswomen have to be authentic,
tell a story, create an identity and be appealing to consumers. While the government and media have their role to
play, there is the need for sportswomen to take responsibility for their brand awareness- telling the stories on social
media, working with a talent agency and importantly as well succeeding in their sports. The study extends research
on female participation in sports which is significantly under-represented in research in sport, albeit from a business
management perspective.

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Dr Jacky Forsyth, Conference Organiser
Exercise Physiologist, Staffordshire University

Jacky Forsyth is a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Staffordshire University. Her
research is in the area of women’s exercise and health. She is particularly interested in how
ovarian hormones work to improve a woman’s health, fitness and sports performance, and
has carried out research on the interactive effect of ovarian hormones, exercise and bone
health. Jacky is this year’s conference organiser. She co-founded the Women in Sport and
Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN), the purpose of which is to grow, strengthen and
promote research on women in sport and exercise, with the ultimate goal of optimising
women’s athletic success and participation. She is passionate about encouraging more
research on women in sport and exercise, and to promote a better understanding of the
physiological factors affecting women’s exercise and health.

Emma Berndt
Conference administrator

Emma is an administration assistant at Staffordshire University. She has been the main co-
ordinator for all enquiries, invoices, finances and bookings for this year’s Women in Sport
and Exercise Conference. She has organised many conferences in the past, including the
very successful annual Staffordshire Conference on Clinical Biomechanics, and has also
organised a range of social, cultural and business events at the University. She is looking
forward to the conference this year, as she wishes to be a part of supporting women in
their pursuit of research in sport and exercise.

Annie Rogan

BA Coaching and Sports Development, Staffordshire University, Sport
and Exercise Support and Conference Organiser

Annie graduated with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Coaching and Sports Development
in 2017 from Staffordshire University. After spending the last three summers as a lifeguard
and hockey coach at an American Summer Camp she decided to start pursuing a career
in education. She began volunteering in an international school in Spain before coming
back to the UK to experience HE through an internship with Jacky Forsyth. Annie has
been supporting Jacky in the organisation of the conference since January and feels it has
been an insightful and beneficial experience to put towards her future career, whatever
it may be. Annie plans to work in Australia later this year to pursue her love for sport and
teaching as a coach, teacher and boarding house supervisor at a private school.

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Directions for the gala dinner at World of Wedgwood

From M1
Follow A50 west, then tourist signs when approaching Stoke-on-Trent.

From M6
Follow A34 (south from junction 15, or north from junction 14), then follow tourist signs.

By Train
Only 90 minutes from London Euston and 45 minutes from Manchester Piccadilly to
Stoke-on-Trent station.
15 minutes from Stoke-on-Trent station by Taxi
Other Transport
For Sat Nav directions | ST12 9ER
Travelling via the canal | Bridge 104
Regular D&G bus service 14 to Barlaston, Wedgwood Drive followed by a 20 minute
scenic walk.
Address
World of Wedgwood,
Wedgwood Drive,
Barlaston,
Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire,
ST12 9ER
Contact us
e: [email protected]
t: 01782 282986
www.worldofwedgwood.com

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Sponsors and Exhibitors

C-Motion Research Biomechanics; Women’s Sports Network; PhysiYoga Designs (Buttafly);
Boobuddy; Fitrwoman; Routledge books, Gala dinner entertainment provided by U DO IT!

Dance Foundation.

Endorsement, CPD and approval

British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES); Register of Exercise Professionals
(REPS); Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSA); British

Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) approved education.

The Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network is a research-orientated interdisciplinary
group that focuses on: generating high quality, impactful research into women in sport and
exercise; collaborating and sharing resources; increasing the visibility of issues around women in
sport and exercise; and research mentoring
If you would like to join our network, please email:
[email protected]
or
[email protected]
To communicate with the members of the network, please email
[email protected]
Conference email: [email protected]

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Campus Map

Register here

Science Centre

College Road
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 2DE
Leek Road
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 2DF
Main Number:
01782 294000
www.staffs.ac.uk

Map key Leek Road Student Accommodation
14 Business School / Business Lounge café s1 C oalport (ST4 2YJ)
College Road 15 Ashley Lecture Theatres
1 Cadman Building: Thompson Library, 16 Law School • Multi-faith Chaplaincy
17 Brindley Building • On-Campus Police Officer
Careers Network / Unitemps, Café Cadman, 18 Brindley Food Court / Brindley Outpost • ResLife Help Desk
International Student Support, Student 19 Brindley Building Entrance • Post Room
Enabling Centre /Counselling Service, Campus • Student Health Service
Control Centre i Information Point • Community Garden
20 Launderette
i Information Point 21 Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre s2 Wedgwood (ST4 2YJ)
2 Flaxman Building / Film Theatre 22 LRV (Leek Road Venue) / The Verve / s3 Spode (ST4 2YJ)
3 Beacon Building / Pavilion Café s4 Royal Doulton (ST4 2YJ)
4 Henrion Building Students’ Union Shop s5 Aynsley (ST4 2YJ)
5 Studio One Drama Studio 23 Trent Building s6 Minton (ST4 2YJ)
6 Performance Centre 24 All Weather Sports Pitches s7 Leek Road Houses (ST4 2XQ)
7 Campus Hub 25 Staffordshire University Nature Reserve s8 Clarice Cliff Court (ST4 2TQ)
8 Dwight Building / Automotive 26 Science Centre / Campus Life Helpdesk
9 Ember Lounge (Ground floor) / Students’ 27 Childcare Service (Nursery)
28 Crime Scene House
Union Reception, Offices and Advice Centre 29 Health and Social Care - Community House
(First floor) 30 University House

10 Students’ Union Shop / Squeeze Box
11 Mellor Building
12 Cadman Studios / Cadman Lecture Theatres
13 Blackstone Building (Access through

Cadman Building)

Wi-Fi information

During the conference, you will have free access to the gym and sports facilities at our Sir
Stanley Matthews Sports Centre: www.staffs.ac.uk/teamstaffs/facilities/stoke/

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#wiseconf M11535
@wiseconf18
e: [email protected]

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